A.—2.

■ No. 9. (No. 109.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 28th December, 1900. With reference to your despatch (No. 74) of the 29th September, have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the papers noted in the subjoined schedule. I have, &c, J. CHAMBERLAIN, The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

A.-l, 1901, No. 38.

Enclosure. Sib,— " War Office, London, S.W., 18th December, 1900. I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the sth instant, forwarding copy of a letter from the Governor of New Zealand relative to the services of Captain H. D. O. Ward, 8.A., with the New Zealand Contingent, and to acquaint you, in reply, that a note of the good opinion entertained of this officer has been made in his records. I have, &c, G. Fleetwood Wilson. The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, S.W.

No. 10. (No. 110.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 28th December, 1900. I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Ministers, the papers noted in the subjoined schedule. I have, &c, J. CHAMBERLAIN. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosure. Sic, — Colonial Office, Downing Street, 28th December, 1900. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch (No. 87) of the 24th October, forwarding a report of your speech to the natives at the opening of the Wainibokasi Hospital. 2. I fully recognise the difficulty in which you were placed by the tactics of those who endeavoured to foment discontent amongst the natives to further their schemes for political change, and the desirability of taking prompt action to counteract them. 3. Unfortunately, however, the language used by you on this occasion was open to misconstruction, and has been garbled and distorted by Press summaries, so as to give umbrage to the Government of New Zealand. Ido not gather from a perusal of your speech that you are fully informed as to the elaborate and carefully considered measures which have been passed by the Legislature of New Zealand for the protection of the Maoris against the alienation, of their land by placing them under the control of an independent and impartial Court, while at the same time they have been given representation in proportion to their numbers in the Legislature. 4. Whatever may have taken place iv the early days of New Zealand settlement, when the Maoris were freely allowed to alienate their lands, the result of these measures has been that the

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Date. From To Subjeot. ( - 8th December, 19001 War Office ... Colonial Office ... Services of Captain H. D. 0. Ward.

Date. From To Subject. ■ :8th December, 1900. The Secretary of State The Governor Speech of the Governor of Fiji to for the Colonies. of Fiji. the Natives respecting the proposed federation of the Islands with New Zealand.